Hinds Instruments Wins Circle of Excellence Award

Exicor DUV

The development of lithography has been hindered by the lack of a deep-ultraviolet tool to measure birefringence in optical materials such as calcium fluoride. Visible measurement has encountered a high level of intrinisic birefringence in CaF₂ at its operating wavelength of 157 nm. Now Hinds Instruments Inc. of Hillsboro, Ore., has designed a deep-UV system that provides low-level birefringence mapping of CaF₂ and other optical materials at 157, 193 and 248 nm.

The Exicor DUV characterizes and quantifies intrinsic and residual birefringence in optical materials, providing critical information to help minimize aberrations and to qualify lens materials for optical lithography systems.

Its innovations include a photoelastic modulator that employs a proprietary optical material for accurate, efficient and reliable polarization modulation; a dual photoelastic modulator single-detector system that not only measures birefringence angle and mag-nitude simultaneously, but that also is durable and easily aligned; a purge system to minimize the oxygen-free volume; and a control to reduce temperature purge gas differentials in a sample.

The modulator has a wide acceptance angle, enabling measurement of birefringence in lenses when coupled with a large detector. This will be beneficial for telecommunications optics as well as visible and UV lenses.

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About Hinds Instruments Inc.

Published: January 2004

Glossary

birefringence: Birefringence is an optical property of certain materials that causes them to exhibit different refractive indices for light of different polarizations. In other words, when light passes through a birefringent material, it splits into two separate rays, each traveling with a different speed and direction. This phenomenon is also known as double refraction. The difference in refractive indices for the two polarizations is a characteristic feature of birefringent materials. The separation of...
calcium fluoride: An optical material used in place of crown glass to produce lenses with extraordinary correction of chromatic aberrations. Its high coefficient of thermal expansion and its tendency to absorb moisture limit its range of application.
lithography: Lithography is a key process used in microfabrication and semiconductor manufacturing to create intricate patterns on the surface of substrates, typically silicon wafers. It involves the transfer of a desired pattern onto a photosensitive material called a resist, which is coated onto the substrate. The resist is then selectively exposed to light or other radiation using a mask or reticle that contains the pattern of interest. The lithography process can be broadly categorized into several...
optical materials: Optical materials refer to substances or compounds specifically chosen for their optical properties and used in the fabrication of optical components and systems. These materials are characterized by their ability to interact with light in a controlled manner, enabling applications such as transmission, reflection, refraction, absorption, and emission of light. Optical materials play a crucial role in the design and performance of optical systems across various industries, including...

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